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This is a generic list aimed at helping future HASTAC conference committees plan and implement their timetables. The HASTAC website also has a collection of documents from prior conferences, including final reports and sample forms from HASTAC IV (2010) (virtual conference hosted by the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts, and Social Science of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) and HASTAC V (2011) (hosted by the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan).

Julie Thompson Klein, Member of HASTAC Executive Board

Initial Meetings

• Form a Planning Committee with representation from all pertinent units on local campus plus key external parties.

• Designate a Project Manager responsible for coordinating with all subcommittees and central HASTAC office, and providing regular reports on progress and problems.

• Designate a Technology Manager responsible for the website, technology needs for all conference spaces, and electronic communications.

• Set up a Planning Calendar with deadlines per the TO DO list.

• Set up a timetable for meetings and designate responsibilities per TO DO list.

• Set up a Google Docs site for all planning documents and discussions.

• Determine a date for the conference (avoiding major conflicts such as sporting events and holidays).

• Determine a theme for the conference with subthemes/questions.

• Draft a Call for Proposals (consulting past examples).

- Be sure to indicate whether applicants can expect feedback on proposals.

• Select then invite keynote speakers and presenters for featured events:

• Schedule meeting after the proposal deadline to determine Accept, Reject, or Revise.

- Use/adapt sample letters from previous conferences.

• Examine programs of previous conferences to determine sections to include and design

model for both online and print versions (e.g., InDesign in Adobe Suite? Drupal).

• Contact printers for prices and deadlines for print copy.

• Put a skeleton version of the program on conference website as soon as possible then update periodically along with a NEW alert on website homepage.

• Proofread a draft of final conference program with entire Planning Committee then

take a mockup of the program to printer in advance for double-checking.

• Recruit moderators for all sessions.

Registration

• Contract with local Conference Services for registration tasks: Other universities may not have a Conference Services group. This might entail creating another committee to handle hotel blocks & the logistics outlined here.

special guests, local faculty-staff-students attending sessions but not meals.

• Add hours registration will be open to the program and procedures for late registration.

Conference Bags/Other SWAG

• Determine what sort of swag you want to give to registrants. This will be determined at least in part due to budget.

· Select vendor for swag, including printing conference title, URLs for conference and HASTAC, sponsor credits; set order and delivery deadlines.

• Compile materials: print version of program, HASTAC items, special announcements, errata sheet, pens and paper, plus maps of meeting site, hotels, restaurants, local attractions. Notify the HASTAC Central team of the deadline for them to get info to you.

• Send materials to Conference Services for bag stuffing or have volunteers help.

Logistics

• Book all space needs: e.g., presentations, keynotes and overflow area, special features, posters/demos, food set up and dining, pre-conference HASTAC SC meeting.

• Establish timetable for pre-conference emails and alerts, coordinated with HASTAC newsletter and website as well as conference website and local publicity plan:

e.g., reminders about logistics of travel and hotel,mechanism for finding roommates and non-hotel space for graduate students (via Twitter), special instructions for posters/demos, request that everyone bring own laptops and MAC users their own dongles/adapters, plans for post-conference publication and posting of presentations, final instructions early in the week of actual conference,

hashtag for conference tweeting.

· Coordinate with HASTAC Central team to find and publicize to other (than HASTAC) groups and individuals that might be interested in the theme of the conference.

· Depending on the locale and the theme of the conference, outreach to local community can be very important.